This invention relates to an airship with an internal power turbine and a berthing port for use with the airship.
In recent years there has been renewed interest in airships for the transportation of passengers and cargo. An airship does not require a large runway, is free from the noise pollution of a jet airport and is energy efficient. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,090, issued Dec. 10, 1991, an airship having improved controllability is described. It includes an axial fluid pathway extending axially throughout the airship and radial pathways connecting with the axial pathway. The propulsion system is mounted within the axial pathway and the radial pathways provide for lateral thrust to control lateral movement of the airship.
A tethered airship carrying wind turbines to generate electricity is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,166,596, issued Sep. 4, 1979. That airship includes an axial passageway in the form of a venturi with a wind turbine mounted in the narrowest part of the venturi. In this design the energy from the turbine is transferred to the ground.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,231,007, issued May 15, 2001, a method is described for the precise setting down or picking up of cargo from airships. In this method, the airship is moored to a mast and a rope framework is set up between the airship and the ground for controlled loading and unloading. Cargo containers are moved between the airship and the ground by means of winches and ropes or cables.
A docking system for airships is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,359, issued Jul. 11, 1995. The airship includes a cargo carrying structure mounted to the bottom of the airship and extending lengthwise along the length of the airship. The cargo carrying structure has a plurality of open ended lateral passageways for carrying cargo. For loading and unloading, the airship is moored to a mast with the cargo carrying structure in contact with a loading and unloading platform which is rotatable to stay in alignment with the airship. A transportation system removes cargo from one side of the lateral passageways and adds cargo from the other side of the passageways.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved airship with good handling characteristics and with the capability of generating electricity.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a unique berthing port for use with the airship.
The airship of this invention comprises a fuselage and a supporting structure positioned within the fuselage. An air passageway extends through the fuselage in an axial direction, with this air passageway having air inlet openings at the forward end of the airship with a first passageway tapering inwardly to provide a venturi in a mid region of the airship. A second passageway downstream of the venturi continues to the rear end of the airship where it flow-connects to a variable pitch rearwardly projecting air nozzle. An air turbine is mounted in the narrowest region of the venturi and is adapted to generate electricity. A plurality of adjustable air wings project outwardly from the surface of the fuselage, these air wings being arranged in circumferential rows. Cargo areas are provided at the bottom of the fuselage.
Motors and propellers are preferably mounted externally of the fuselage to provide auxiliary propulsion and to assist in docking procedures.
The design of this airship is intended to take maximum advantage of prevailing westerly winds, i.e. the airship is carried from west to east by the winds. The affect of the winds on the airship is considerably enhanced by the use of the adjustable air wings. These air wings project outwardly from the surface of the fuselage and are arranged in several circumferential rows.
As the airship moves forward, air currents are directed through the internal passageway and through the venturi where the air currents are used to drive the air turbines to generate electricity. This electricity can be used for the cooling of cargo areas, charging storage batteries, operating other components of the airship, etc.
The variable pitch air discharge nozzle at the rear end of the aircraft is used in the manner of a combined elevator, rudder for the airship.
The airship of this invention is intended to be used in combination with a special design of berthing port within which the airship rests. A series of winches are mounted in a lower region of the airship and ropes or cables connect between the winches and the berthing port. Once the airship is aligned with the berthing port, it is winched down so that it may interconnect with a loading/unloading platform.
To assist in the alignment of the airship with the berthing port, electromagnetic lines extend longitudinally in a lower region of the airship and further electromagnetic lines are positioned within the bottom of the berthing port. By activating these electromagnetic lines, the airship is aligned with the berthing port platform.